u/Expensive_Leek5089

Been doing TRE for about a month now. I haven’t had any huge emotional releases or cathartic crying experiences people sometimes describe — for me it’s been much more physical, subtle tension release and a kind of softening in the body.

I’m also a long-time meditator and meditation teacher, and I’m noticing TRE feels very meditative for me. Almost like it drops me into a deep body-focused awareness rather than an emotional “release” state.

One interesting thing I’ve noticed: lately I’ve been waking up in that space between sleep and waking with no thought. That’s very unusual for me because I’m naturally quite anxious and normally my brain instantly starts listing the day’s tasks/problems the second I wake up.

It’s not like I suddenly feel euphoric or transformed — just quieter internally.

Curious if anyone else has experienced TRE this way? Less dramatic emotional release, more subtle nervous system settling?

Last week I went to a yoga class that focused a lot on hip opening. At the end of the class, my body started shaking spontaneously. I wasn’t trying to make it happen—it just started on its own.

Later that day, I had my first appointment with a new acupuncturist. I actually arrived still shaking a bit, which felt strange to explain. Because it was my first session, she asked about my history, and as I talked, the shaking would come and go again—almost like my body was processing something as I spoke.

It ended up feeling really cathartic. I’ve had chronic pain and a lot of tension in my body for a while, and after the session I felt a noticeable release—like the tension had dropped quite quickly.

Afterwards I went down a bit of a rabbit hole and came across TRE (trauma release exercises). I’ve been doing it daily since, and honestly it’s felt kind of amazing. It feels like it’s unwinding years of built-up tension, and even a 2-year-old injury that used to cause pain has settled to almost zero.

I also feel very grounded after sessions. There’s a sense of curiosity coming back that I feel like has been shut down for many years. It’s interesting because it feels very body-focused—I haven’t felt overly emotional or overwhelmed—but at the same time it feels like something is still shifting emotionally at a subtle level.

More than anything, I feel more comfortable in my body and less inhibited in my movements, which is new for me.

Would love to hear others’ experiences or insights.